


Spin a Bottle in Your Brain (and Match Your Weakness With a Name)

by hexhomra



Category: The Umbrella Academy (Comics), The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Depression, Everyone Has Issues, F/F, F/M, Gen, Implied/Referenced Suicide, M/M, One Shot, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, References to Depression, Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide Attempt, Suicide Notes, Vietnam War, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-22
Updated: 2019-08-22
Packaged: 2020-09-24 03:54:00
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,274
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20351950
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hexhomra/pseuds/hexhomra
Summary: A collection of angsty Umbrella Academy one-shots by yours truly.everyone kinda wants to die idk.





	Spin a Bottle in Your Brain (and Match Your Weakness With a Name)

**Author's Note:**

> Klaus has a PTSD attack about Vietnam.

For the first time since they were teenagers all of the Hargreeves siblings (even ghostly number 6 was there) were sitting at the kitchen table making nice conversation over dinner. It was all calm, almost like the world wasn't ending in a few days. Allison, Vanya and Diego all seemed thrilled to be talking about the one odd end t.v show that they all happened to watch. Five and Luther were talking about something that Klaus didn’t necessarily understand, something about the velocity of space travel. Klaus and Ben were happily chatting away about another mildly useless topic as usual. 

Luther and Fives’ conversation had drawn to a close. Luther stood up and moved to clear and wash the dishes. Soon enough the remaining siblings at the table all ended up engaged in a dramatic retelling of one of the funnier stories of their childhood courtesy of Diego and Allison. 

At some point during their story, a loud bang sounded through the room. Klaus immediately went into fight or flight mode. He looked around the table at his siblings, none of them seemed to notice the crash they were all still laughing at the terrible story that was being told. He then turned to look at where the crash had come from. There stood Luther, his huge body turned away from Klaus. ‘Luther’ he thought, ‘it was just Luther,”.

Even with knowing that the noise was just Luther failing at washing the dishes properly, Klaus couldn’t help the panic that rose up in his chest. All he could see were the dark skies and the flashes of bullets leaving guns. The whole body shake of a bomb going off in a nearby trench. The unforgettable cold of the trenches. The feeling of knowing that the barracks will be more empty when they return than they were when they left. The loud crashes of war happening around him.

It was getting harder to breathe, it's like his chest was being compressed and his throat wouldn’t open enough to let air through properly. Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes as he gripped the edge of the table harshly. His breath was getting shorter, the ability to take a deep breath was no longer one that Klaus had. 

Darkness. Flash. Crash. Helicopters. They were coming. Shouting. Charlies descending from the heavens. More shouting.

As his breathing got sharper Five took notice to the sound of his gasped breaths. He tentatively placed a hand on Klaus’ back. Klaus harshly flinched away from Fives hand. Every noise became muffled, it was hard to hear what was going on around him. Klaus looked up to see all of his siblings looking at him. The corners of his vision became fuzzy, and his head began to ache. He still gasped every breath. 

Then everything became black.

\--------------------

“What just happened?” Luther asked he had just caught the last half of the situation and then Klaus passed out.

“Did you really not reali-” Five cut himself off taking a deep breath, “he just had a panic attack, something in the last 10 or so minutes must have triggered it,” 

“Oh god, I didn't think…” Vanya trailed off.

“I didn’t either,” Allison said looking over at her brother who was now slumped over on the table.

“Okay, so we have to figure out what triggered it right?” Diego asked looking at Five.

“If we want this to not happen at family dinner anymore I would assume so,” Five replied, “So think of things that you have done in the last 10 or so minutes that is different than what we have been doing for the last hour,” 

“Luther, you stood up and started doing dishes that was different,” Allison suggested.

“I don’t think that just standing behind Klaus would be enough to make him panic as bad as he did,” Five contemplated.

“I accidentally dropped a plate..?” Luther said.

“Now that could be it, PTSD involving loud noises,” 

“Why would loud noises give him PTSD?” Allison asked.

“I feel like I know whats going on,” Five days, “Remeber when Klaus was missing for a few days and Diego had to go save him and then he went missing for a few more days? Well he time travelled during that second chunk of days. I found him the day he returned to the house, there was blood in the bathtub, he was covered in scars that a feisty drug addict should not have, and, the real kicker, he had dog tags. I was worked up at the time so I didn’t ask where he went but I can assume it was a war. He has war PTSD.” 

“Oh fuck,” Diego said. “That makes so much sense. He made me drive him to a veterans bar so he could cry over a picture. A Vietnam War Photo, 1968.” 

“Perfect now we know,” 

“So what are we going to do about it?” Allison asked.

“The best we can do, don’t drop plates and talk to him about it,” Five said.

\--------------------

Klaus awoke. Slowly the world came back to him. He was wrapped in a blanket a warm presence next to him. He opened his eyes wide enough to see his surroundings. He expected to see the barracks and soldiers around him Dave sleeping beside him. Instead, he saw the living room of the academy. The golden threads of the armchair sitting across from the couch by the fireplace illuminated by the light filtering in through the high windows. 

The sleeping presence next to him turned out to be Deigo. He looked peaceful. When he was awake he was always on edge. Ready to battle anyone and anything for seemingly no reason. Now he looked calm, not ready to sock you in the face if you looked at him wrong. He looked younger, his face less tense. The lines of age and stress of work had all seemed to melt off of his features. 

A soft voice interrupted his assessment of Deigo, “Klaus,” The voice was tentative soft, Vanya, “How do you feel? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine Van, I just had a….” He trailed off, “How long was I out?”

“Long enough to have a good proper sleep.” 

“Oh… and how long has Deigo been laying here?” 

“Nearly as long as you have. He didn’t want to let you out of his sight.” She said with a light laugh. 

Deigo groaned and began to stretch his arms out, “Speak of the devil I guess.” Klaus said looking at Deigo, “Hey Di, You know you could have gone upstairs instead of suffering on the couch with me.” 

“No way Klaus, I didn’t know what happened to you. There was no fucking way I was leaving you alone,” Deigo said, shifting a little to be able to look at Klaus. 

“Thanks Di, but I’m serious you really didn’t have to, it happens all the time.” 

“It happens all the time? What do you mean it happens all the time?” 

“I mean its not usually so bad that it makes me pass out but it happens.” 

“What happens all the time?” Allison asks walking into the living room.

“Whatever made him pass out at dinner last night.” Five interjects flashing into the room from the kitchen. “I feel like you all are imbeciles and can’t comprehend simple things. 

“Its fine guys, truly it happens sometimes, there is nothing I can do.” 

“But it doesn't mean we can't try to help you,” Diego said. 

And so time went. It's not like it never happened again but the attacks were less often and he never went through one alone.


End file.
